nickeeson



'(ModeL) I F A. NIGKERSON.

COMPOUND DIE FOR PLAsTIq MATERIALS. No. 285,058. Patented Sept.-18, 1883.

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww w wwwwwwwwwww u.

I we

STATES FRED. A. NICKERSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DICKINSON HARD RUBBER COMPANY, OF SAIWIE PLACE.

COMPOUND DIE FOR PLASTIC MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,058, dated September 18,1883.

Application filed May 4,1883. (110(101.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED. A. NIoknRsoN, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Compound Dies for Plastic Materials, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in compound dies for forming, under pressure, objects from plastic material; and iteonsists in constructing said dies from two metals of different degrees of hardness, and incovering their finished faces with an overlying thin coating of nickel, the object being to provide economical means for making such dies, and for preparing their faces in such a manner that the actionof the heat to which they are subjected in working is in no way injurious to the articles molded therein, and to pro duce upon such dies a face of uniform hard ness. I

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure I is a plan view of the face of a die constructed according to my invention. Fig. 'II is a sectional view through the line as m, Fig. I. Fig. III is a plan view of the bottom of the die. a

In the drawings, 2 indicates the die-blank c is the figure-bearing core or center, and i indicates the nickel coating of the compound die.

In the manufacture of articles from plastic materials having the nature of hard rubber, which are softened by contact with a heated metal plate, a great variety of dies is required, and particularly so when such materials enter into the formation of buttons and similar, ob-

, j ects, and means have long been sought whereby the figured portion of such dies maybe made of a soft and easily-worked metal, and then by inclosing such figured portion in a die-blank, 2, make a die which might serve a practical purpose and take the place of an 5 expensive solid steel die. Such efforts have heretofore proved futile,for the reason that a soft-metal center and a steel or hard-metal blank present to the plastic material which is forced against them with a pressure-power of 50 several tons metal faces of such varying capabilities of resistance that perfect work has not been obtainable from dies made of said metals. Furthermore, the necessary heat to which said dies are subjected in workingsay 200 to 300operates, in dies which are made of two metals having differing affinities for heat, unfavorably to the production of perfect work therefrom when the faces of the two metals are allowed to come in contact with the pressed article, and such has been the dif- 6o ficulty in making ordinary compound dies practically useful that they have been abandoned.

I have discovered that by applying to the face of the metals of a compound die a coating of nickel, all of the aforesaid objections to dies made of two metals of varying hardness are obviated, and that the result is a die which, in working under the influence of heat and pressure, as aforesaid, produces work equally perfect with that made in a solid hardened-steel die.

I11 constructing my improved die I make a suitable blank, 2, from steel, turning out its central portion to receive the figure-bearing center o, and to support the latter Said cen ter 1: is made from brass or metal having a similar nature, and which is easily worked to produce thereon, by impress or by cutting, suitable ornamental designs which it is desired toreproduce upon said articles of plas tic material, and said center is tightly fitted into the blank 5, as shown. I then, by electroplatingor by other suitable means, cover the faces of the blank z and the center 12 with a coating of nickel, 02, whereby the said faces are given a surface of uniform hardness, and a compound die is produced having, for prac' tical purposes, the qualities of a solid steel die.

I do not claim, broadly,'in this application covering the face of a soft-metal die with nickel, as and for the obj cct stated, as that is the subject of another application already filed.

I am aware of patent to Hyatt, of October 5 2S, 1879, for process of polishing sheets of celluloid by means of a fiat polished surface, preferably of nickel-plated metal. Such I do not claim.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The compound diehereinbefore described,' recess therein and adapted to fit therein, the consistingiof steel blank and removable cenworking-face of said soft-metal inset being 10 ter piece of softer metal, the working-faces of nickel-plated, substantially as described. both parts being nickel-plated, substantially 5 as described. FRED. A. NICKERSONI 2. The compound die hereinbefore described, Vitnesses having the external portion of hard metal, the H. A. OHAPIN, inner portion of soft 1netal,resting in a conical G. N. BOWERS. 

